The countdown to Tiger Woods' return to golf began on Tuesday when he announced he is to start his comeback in The Masters at Augusta.

Golf's number one has decided not to have a warm-up event, but to start facing the world again at the opening major of the season on April 8-11.

When Woods tees off it will be 144 days since he last competed, 132 days since the car crash outside his home which sent him into hiding as a shocking sex scandal hit the headlines and destroyed his image - and just 25 days since he said he might not play this year.

In a statement released this afternoon the 34-year-old father-of-two, who is reported to be living apart from his Swedish wife Elin, said: "The major championships have always been a special focus in my career and, as a professional, I think Augusta is where I need to be, even though it's been a while since I last played.

"I have undergone almost two months of inpatient therapy and I am continuing my treatment. Although I'm returning to competition, I still have a lot of work to do in my personal life.

"When I finally got into a position to think about competitive golf again, it became apparent to me that The Masters would be the earliest I could play.

"I called both Joe Lewis and Arnold Palmer and expressed my regrets for not attending the Tavistock Cup (next Monday and Tuesday) and the Arnold Palmer Invitational (on March 25-28).

"I again want to thank them both for their support and their understanding. Those are fantastic tournaments and I look forward to competing in them again.

"I would also like to thank the Augusta National members and staff for their support. I have deep appreciation for everything that they do to create a wonderful event for the benefit of the game."

Augusta National chairman Billy Payne said in a separate statement: "We support Tiger's decision to return to competitive golf beginning at this year's Masters tournament.

"Additionally, we support and encourage his stated commitment to continue the significant work required to rebuild his personal and professional life."

Woods last played on November 15, winning the Australian Masters in Melbourne and taking his total of professional victories to 92.

Twelve days later his life went into meltdown after the early-hours accident outside his Florida mansion in which he hit a fire hydrant and a tree.

A string of affairs came to light in the days and weeks that followed and eventually Woods admitted on his website to "transgressions" and then used the same forum to announce he was taking an indefinite break from the game to try to save his marriage.

Some of his sponsors have either dropped him or distanced themselves from him since then and it was not until February 19 that he finally made a public appearance.

It was merely to read a statement rather than answer questions, however, and only towards the end of his 13-minute guilt-ridden, apology-laden address to family and friends at the headquarters of the PGA Tour did he actually mention his career.

"I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be," he said.

"I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game."

That seemed to hint his lay-off would go on for many months at least, yet within days there was speculation that he was gearing up for a comeback much sooner than that.

Making the first major of the season - an event Woods has won four times - his first tournament back will not please everybody because of the massive focus on him that cannot be avoided.

World number two Steve Stricker said at the weekend: "Whenever he comes back it's going to draw a lot of attention to that tournament.

"I don't know if Augusta would like that to happen, you know? To turn it into 'Tiger's Comeback Tournament' instead of the Masters tournament, itself.

"Hopefully, he comes back before then. You'd think, as a player, being gone for so long, he'd want to come back before."

Following the death of his father Earl in 2006, Woods returned for the United States Open a month later. He missed the halfway cut, but a month after that lifted The Open at Hoylake.

His total of majors now stands at 14, four short of Jack Nicklaus's record.

Four of those wins have come at Augusta and, until his off-course behaviour was uncovered, this season looked a heaven-sent opportunity to become the first player ever to win all four majors in one year.

The US Open in June is at Pebble Beach, where he won by a major record 15 shots in 2000, while The Open in July returns to the Old Course at St Andrews where he won by eight 10 years ago and by five in 2005.

The bookmakers have already installed him as favourite for The Masters and if he does somehow win the first three, he would go to Whistling Straits for the US PGA in August with the chance to move alongside Nicklaus.

While many fans and players will be surprised he has decided not to play a tournament before Augusta to give himself the best possible chance there, there is next to no chance of him being heckled there.

Security at The Masters is tighter than at any other event - and there are restrictions on the number of media allowed in as well.

That will give Woods an easier ride and, with a field of under 100 including six amateurs and a number of past champions who go with little chance of contending on the lengthened course, it is also the easiest of the four majors to win.